Indiana Public Media News

Cold Weather Causing a Major Drop in Blood Donations

By
Clair Wiseman

Posted January 25, 2011

American Red Cross blood donations for the month of January are at a 10 year low.

Photo: Yuki Kobo (Flickr)

Blood donations are down and a critical shortage has formed.

American Red Cross blood donations for the month of January are at a 10 year low. Severe weather caused nearly 14,000 blood and platelet donations to be canceled so far this month. Katy Maloy is program manager of communications for the River Valley chapter of the Red Cross.

“Winter can be such an unpredictable season with weather,” she says, “with seasonal illness, with peoples’ travel plans, we just really want to encourage everyone to keep their appointments and if they have some extra time come out and see us.”

Indiana University is attempting to collect 652 pints of blood for the Big Ten Blood Donor Challenge. IU’s Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council and the American Red Cross Student Group will sponsor donation sites on campus all week.

The next campus blood drive will take place Thursday at Panhellenic Association on East 7th Street.

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